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Just a few hours stand between Matrics and their exams

As it has done over the past few years the Department of Basic Education (DBE) has been counting down to the start for the 2021 exam and Matrics around South Africa are now starring at a clock with less than 24 hours on it.

This ominous countdown is still right at the top of the DBE website which shows just a handful of hours before the exams start.

“A total of 897 786 candidates will sit for the November 2021 NSC examinations, comprising 735 677 full-time candidates and 162 109 part-time candidates. These candidates will be sitting for the examinations at 6 326 public examination centres, 526 independent centres and 326 designated centres,” the DBE writes in an announcement.

“The 2021 National Senior Certificate (NSC) examination will officially commence on Wednesday 27th October 2021, with the writing of English Home Language (124 065 candidates), English First Additional Language (609 830 candidates) and English Second Additional Language (4 candidates) and conclude on 7th December 2021.”

This will be the third time Matrics will be writing their exams under pandemic conditions. While the COVID-19 conditions in the country seem to be improving we’re still far from beating the virus and achieving any kind of herd immunity.

In South Africa the vaccine is still only available to those over the age 18 so Matrics, and students in lower grades, are still attending school without that added protection. This is unlike other countries such as Canada which have opened the vaccines to those aged 12 and up.

“The vaccination rollout uses age, rather than comorbidities to determine when you will get vaccinated. Studies have shown that age is an even stronger predictor than comorbidities of whether or not you will end up in hospital or die because of COVID-19,” reads the government’s explanation on the vaccine age eligibility.

Once again time will tell if the nation’s Matrics will be able to be successful in their exams this time around. All the rest of us can do is hope that the 2021 exams will be the last ones under the pandemic.

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